Systems and methods of access node selection

Abstract

In systems and methods of access node selection, signal level criteria and a signal quality criteria are provided, and a received signal level and a received signal quality are determined based on a signal from the access node to the wireless device. An application requirement is determined of an application running on the wireless device. Based on a comparison of the received signal level and the signal level criteria, a comparison of the received signal quality and the signal quality criteria, and the application requirement, the wireless device is instructed to perform an initial access procedure with the access node.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of an access node selection for wireless communication, comprising:
 providing a signal level criterion and a signal quality criterion from an access node to a wireless device, wherein the wireless device is capable of performing an initial access procedure with the access node using a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology; 
 determining a first application requirement criterion and a second application requirement criterion of an application running on the wireless device; 
 determining a received signal level and a received signal quality based on a signal from the access node to the wireless device; and 
 instructing the wireless device to perform an initial access procedure with the access node based on a comparison of the received signal level and the signal level criterion, a comparison of the received signal quality and the signal quality criterion, and the application requirement criteria, wherein the access node selects the first radio access technology or the second radio access technology to perform the initial access procedure based on a result of the comparisons and the determined application requirement criteria. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the first radio access technology when the received signal level meets the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the first application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the second radio access technology when the received signal level meets the signal level criterion, the received signal quality not meet the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the second application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the second radio access technology when the received signal level does not meet the signal level criterion, the received signal quality meets the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the first application requirement criteria. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the second radio access technology when the received signal level does not meet the signal level criterion, the received signal quality meets the signal quality criterion, an application requirement of the application meets the second application requirement criterion, 
 wherein the application running on the wireless device is a non-voice application. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the first radio access technology when the received signal level does not meet the signal level criterion, the received signal quality meets the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the second application requirement criterion, 
 wherein the application running on the wireless device is a voice application. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wireless device to not perform the initial access procedure with the access node when the received signal level does not the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the first application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the second radio access technology when the received signal level does not the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the second application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 instructing the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node when the received signal level meets the signal level criterion, the received signal quality meets the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the wireless device meets one of the first application requirement criterion and the second application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signal level criterion and the signal quality criterion are provided to the wireless device before a communication session is established between the wireless device and the access node. 
     
     
       11. A method of an access node selection for wireless communication, comprising:
 providing a signal level criteria and a signal quality criterion from an access node to a wireless device; 
 determining a received signal level and a received signal quality based on a signal transmitted from an access node to a wireless device; 
 determining an application requirement of an application running on the wireless device; 
 instructing the wireless device to perform an initial access procedure with the access node using a first radio access technology when the received signal level meets the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and the application requirement meets a first application requirement criterion; and 
 instructing the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using a second radio access technology when the received signal level meets the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and the application requirement meets a second application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       12. A system of an access node selection for wireless communication, comprising:
 a processing node including a hardware processor and a storage, configured to:
 provide a signal level criterion and a signal quality criterion from an access node to a wireless node, wherein the wireless node is capable of performing an initial access procedure with the access node using a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology; 
 determine a received signal level and a received signal quality based on a signal from the access node to the wireless node; 
 determine a first application requirement criterion and a second application requirement criterion of an application running on the wireless node; and 
 instruct the wireless node to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the first radio access technology or the second radio access technology based on a comparison of the received signal level and the signal level criterion, a comparison of the received signal quality and the signal quality criterion, and the application requirement criteria. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing node is further configured to:
 instruct the wireless node to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the first radio access technology when the received signal level meets the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the first application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing node is further configured to:
 instruct the wireless node to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the second radio access technology when the received signal level meets the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the second application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing node is further configured to:
 instruct the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the first radio access technology when the received signal level does not meet the signal level criterion, the received signal quality meets the signal quality criterion, and the application requirement meets the first application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing node is further configured to:
 instruct the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the second radio access technology when the received signal level does not meet the signal level criterion, the received signal quality meets the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the second application requirement criterion, 
 wherein the application running on the wireless device is a non-voice application. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing node is further configured to:
 instruct the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the first radio access technology when the received signal level does not meet the signal level criterion, the received signal quality meets the signal quality criterion, and the application requirement meets the second application requirement criterion, 
 wherein the application running on the wireless device is a voice application. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing node is further configured to:
 instruct the wireless device to not perform the initial access procedure with the access node when the received signal level does not meet the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and an application requirement of the application meets the first application requirement criterion. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing node is further configured to:
 instruct the wireless device to perform the initial access procedure with the access node using the second radio access technology when the received signal level does not meet the signal level criterion, the received signal quality does not meet the signal quality criterion, and the application requirement meets the second application requirement criterion.